Hermes vs Fauxermes Amazon knockoff bands: Which looks better?

When the Apple Watch Hermès collection first arrived on the scene, iMore scooped up a Hermes Apple Watch + Double Tour and I was lucky enough to try it out for a few months. I found myself surprisingly liking the double-strap; I wasn't expecting to enjoy the feeling, but it ended up growing on me during my testing. Unfortunately, that watch inevitably moved on, and as I wasn't wealthy enough to buy a whole new Apple Watch just to get that fancy band, I considered other, cheaper alternatives — like Amazon.

I ended picking up a blue "Fauxermes" Double Tour from a Chinese Amazon manufacturer, which, given its $37 price, was actually pretty cool. (I bought a 38mm Fauxermes Cuff, too, because why not.) It had some noticeable differences when compared to the real band, but hey — you can't beat a knockoff price.

When Apple began selling Hermes bands a la carte, I was lucky enough to receive a Fauve Barenia (or, y'know, brown) Double Tour as a gift; it arrived late Tuesday, and at my colleague, Rene Ritchie's urging, I did an unboxing video on Facebook Live.

But why just focus on unboxing when I had a Fauxermes right on my desk? Instead of merely showing off my new official Double Tour, I also did a live-on-the-spot comparison of the two bands. You can watch (and judge my oh-so-stylish bands paired with my yardwork and roller derby clothes) below, or on Facebook directly.

What do you think, folks? Is the Double Tour worth $499, or is the Amazon pick the way to go? Are both of them terrible and not worth your time? Let us know in the comments.

Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.